Book supporting device



April ,1 E- M. CARRIERE 2,977,712

BOOK SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed July so; 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOF/VE XSApnl 4, 1961 E. M. CARRIERE: 2,977,712

BOOK" SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed July so, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet z Q! (ya/4INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,977,712 BOOK SUPPORTING DEVICE EdmondM. Carriere,1209 Broadway Ave Galvestom'Tex.

Filed July 30, 1958, Ser. No. 752,960

4 Claims. (CI. 4580) This invention relates to adjustable supportingdevices for articles such as books, papers and drawing boards.

It is an object of this invention to provide a. device for supportingwriting surfaces and reading material, which is adjustable to differentpositions to accommodate the most comfortable and relaxed position of areader.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a supportingdevice which is adjustable to several dif' ferent planes to minimize eyestrain, improve the comfort of the user, and facilitate writing ordrawing.

In the attainment of these objectives a main support pivoted at one endtoya rectangular frame has right and left panels pivotally connectedalong each side. A manually controlled mechanism moves the main supportabout its pivot while separate mechanisms turn the right and left panelmembers about axes normal to the pivotal axis of the main support. Paperretaining clips or book holding plates may be arranged on the panels asdesired.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a supporting device embodying myinvention in its preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of my book support showing the parts indifferent positions elevated'relative to the frame member;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. I;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on lines 5--5 of Fig. l; I

Fig. 6 is a partial elevational view taken on lines 6-6 ,of Fig. 1 andpartially showing the book stop devices;

surface such as a desk. A hinge 9 connects an elongated main support 10for pivotal movement about an edge' of the frame 8. On each long side ofmain support 10 are right and left hand support panels 11 and 12respectively. When main support 10 and right and left hand panels 11 and12 are in a horizontal position, their total. area substantially coversthe top of frame 8.

Hinges 13 on main support 10 have interleaved parts 14 couplingpanels'll and 12 to main support 10. These hinge parts are pivotallycoupled by pins 16 so panels 11 and 12 may be turned relative to themain support 10 about axis normal to the axis of the pivotal connectionbetween main support 10 and frame 8.

Bearings 17 and 18 mounted on frame sides 19 and 20 rotatably support alead screw 21. Follower 22 threadably engaged with lead screw 21 carriesa bifurcated part 23 in which one end of lever 24 is pivotallyconnected. Theother end of lever 24 is pivotally connected to the mainsupport .10. A crank 25 rotates lead frame 8 which is adapted to overlieand rest upon a flat screw 21 to move follower 22 to the right or leftand,

through lever 24, turns mainsupport 10 about its pivotal axis.

Brackets 26, 26 and 27, 27 rotatably support a pair of shafts 28 and 29.Bevel gears 30 and 31 mounted intermediate the ends of shafts 28 and 29are journaled in a bearing member 32 and mesh with bevel gears 33 and 34which are also journaled in bearing member 32. Flexible drivingconnectors 35 and 36 couple bevel gears 33'and 34'tocranks 37and 38journaled at 39 and 39' in frame side 20. I

Connecting rods 40, 40 and 41, 41 pivotally connected to panels 11 and12 are given translative movement by arms 42,and 43 which rotate withshafts 28 and 29. Movement of arms 42 and 43 and connecting rods 40, 40and 41, 41 turns panels 11 and 12 about an axis normal to the pivotalaxis of main support 10.

When it is desired to position the supporting surface and the readingmaterial carried thereby at a preferred reading plane, crank 25 isrotated tovmove the main supporting surface 10 towards the reader. Ifthe reading material is a book, and it is desired to have the pages ofthe book at a position more comfortable to the eye of the reader,rotation of cranks. 37 and 38 turns the right and left panels 11 and 12about main support 10 to the desired position.

Plates 44 mounted on the right-and left panels prevent slippage ofmaterial therefrom. The projection of plates 44 above the surface ofeach panel member is adjustable by means of screw fasteners 45 passingthrough cam slots 46, as shown in Fig. 6.

Snap-on strips 47, which may be spring metal or other resilientlyflexible material secure reading material such as loose sheets of paperor pamphlets to each panel mem ber. Friction elements 48 secured to eachsnap-on strip prevents slippage of the material from beneath eachsnap-on strip.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will beapparent 'to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiment iscapable of modification. Therefore the foregoing description is to beconsidered exemplary rather than limiting and a true scope of myinvention is that defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A book supporting device comprising a frame adapted to overlie a desksurface, a support pivotally connected at one end to said frame, a panelpivotally connected at one side to one edge of said support for rotationabout an axis normal to the axis of the pivotal connection between saidsupport and said frame, means adapted to overlie a surface, a centrallylocated support pivotally connected at one end to said frame, a firstpanel pivotally connected at one side to one edge of said support forrotation about an axis normal to the axis of the pivotal connectionbetween said support and said frame, a second panel pivotally connectedat one side to the other edge of said support for rotation about an axisnormal to the axis of the pivotal connection be tween said support andsaid frame, means connected between said support and saidframe forturning said support about its pivotal axis in relation to said frame,and means respectively connected between said first and second panelsand said frame for turning said panels about their pivotal axes relativeto said support and said frame.

r 3. A book supporting device comprising a frame nected atone end tosaid frame, a panel pivotally connected at one'side to said support forrotation about an axis normal to the axis of the pivotal connectionbetween said'supportand said frame, manually operated meanson said frameand connected between said support and tsaidf'rame for turningsaidsupport about its pivotal axis in relation to said frame, andmanually operated means on said frame coupled to linkage connectionsbetween said. panel and saidsupportfor turning said panel about i 1 itspivotal axis relative to said support and said frame.

4. A book supporting device comprising a frame adaptedto overliealsurface, a' centrally located support pivotally connected at one end tosaidframe, a first.

panelpivotally connected at one side to said support for rotation aboutan axis normal to the axis of the pivotal connection between saidsupport and said frame,

adapted'to overlie a surface,,a support pivotally cona second panelpivotally connected at one side to the other side of said support forrotation about an axis 'normal to the axis of the pivotal connectionbetween References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 564,964 Blackmer Aug. 4, 1896 1,197,233 Plamondon et al. Sept.5, 1916 2,639,541 Le Tang May 26, 1953

